The Legendary 1855 Gold Bullion Train Robbery Remains One of the Most Sophisticated Crimes Ever Committed

In May 1855, four thieves executed one of the most audacious and well-planned robberies in history. However, a rift between members would spell their undoing

Depiction of 1855 Gold Bullion train robbery.

What would come to be regarded as one of the largest and most sophisticated train robberies of the 19th century began in the mind of a disgruntled former railway employee.

37-year-old William Pierce had been dismissed from his position at the South Eastern Railway (SER) for gambling. Though he was no longer an employee, Pierce continued to frequent the taverns and public houses near the London Bridge station where he formerly worked. Because of this, he was privy to sensitive information that he would not have otherwise known.

This included the schedule and procedures for shipping gold bullion from London to Paris, France. The train traveled from the London Bridge to Folkstone on the southeast coast of England, then the gold was loaded onto a railway steamer and sent to Boulogne-sur-Mel in nort…